Yellow Hedysarum vs Rocky Mountain Fescue - TreeTime.ca

Yellow Hedysarum vs Rocky Mountain Fescue

Hedysarum sulphurescens

Festuca saximontana

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Yellow Hedysarum
Rocky Mountain Fescue

Yellow Hedysarum is a native perennial wildflower recognized for its clusters of pale yellow to creamy-white, pea-like blooms. Flowering from late spring into summer, it adds subtle colour to grasslands, roadsides, and open woods while attracting a variety of pollinators, especially bumblebees.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Hedysarum enriches soils and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. Its deep taproot and extensive root system make it drought-tolerant and effective at stabilizing soil. Grizzly bears are known to dig up and eat the nutritious taproot. Its resilience and ecological value make it well-suited for restoration, naturalization, pollinator gardens, and erosion control projects.

Rocky Mountain Fescue is a native perennial bunchgrass recognized for its fine-textured clumps and adaptability to harsh environments. It grows well in dry, rocky, and nutrient-poor soils and is highly cold-tolerant, making it well-suited to both prairie and alpine habitats. Its fibrous root system contributes to soil stability and helps reduce erosion on slopes and shallow soils.

Widespread across western and northern North America, Rocky Mountain Fescue is an important component of many prairie and alpine ecosystems. It contributes ground cover and organic matter that support soil function, provides cover for small wildlife, and offers moderate forage for grazing animals. Hardy and versatile, it is used in ecological restoration, naturalization, and habitat enhancement projects, particularly in upland and alpine landscapes.

Yellow Hedysarum Quick Facts

Rocky Mountain Fescue Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: ascending to upright
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Spreading: seeds - low


Flowers: creamy yellow, in dense spikes
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: sulphur hedysarum, sulphur sweet-vetch, yellow sweet-vetch
Other Names: mountain fescue